Who May Live On God’s Holy Hill? Series

INTRO.- ILL.- Three preachers got together for coffee one day and found all their churches had bat-infestation problems. "I got so mad," said one, "I took a shotgun and fired at them. All I did is make holes in the ceiling, but did nothing to the bats." "I tried trapping them alive," said the second. "Then I drove 50 miles before releasing them, but they beat me back to the church."

But the third preacher said, "I haven’t had any more problems with the bats.” "What did you do?" asked the others, amazed. He said, "I simply baptized them and I haven’t seen them since."

It’s really sad how many people are baptized into Christ and are soon missing from the church. It’s something I don’t understand. Either they didn’t make a solid decision in the first place or else they were greatly tempted after their decision for Christ.

Romans 6:1-4 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Baptism sounds like a very powerful thing in the life of the believer! And it is! If it is taken seriously, if it is taken in humble submission to the will of God! Of course, that’s the only way to take baptism or any other command in scripture. IN HUMBLE SUBMISSION. When we humbly submit and obey God’s Word He is able to do a good work in our lives, BUT NOT UNTIL!

Please remember that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble! I Peter 5:5. Psalm 15:1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?

Sanctuary and holy hill. What is the Psalmist talking about? How could this be applied to us today? The church? Heaven? I guess it could be either/or.

I want to dwell in His church and I want to live on God’s holy hill in heaven! And the two may well go together! If you want heaven, you need the church as well. Some people don’t think you need the church, but the church is kingdom of heaven on earth! One kingdom leads to the other kingdom.

I do know that we all should desire to live forever with the Lord in His heaven where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more weariness, no more pain, etc. This life will pass away. The better life is yet to come! Who is going there? Who may live with God in His sanctuary and on His Holy Hill?

PROP.- Who may live with God?

1- Those who walk blamelessly

2- Those who speak truthfully

3- Those who wrong nobody

4- Those who give graciously

1. THOSE WHO WALK BLAMELESSLY

2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous.

Blameless? Oh, come on! Do you know of anyone who is truly blameless? That means someone who is completely innocent of all sin.

ILL.- In preparation for a revival meeting in a large city, the famed evangelist Billy Sunday wrote a letter to the mayor in which he asked for the names of individuals he knew who had spiritual problems and needed help and prayer. How surprised the Billy Sunday was when he received from the mayor a city directory. This sounds exactly like every town and city I know.

ILL.- Do you know what is America’s most dangerous city? Detroit, MI. with 1,111 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents. And do you know what is the number two most dangerous city? MEMPHIS, TN! with 1,006 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.

People all across the US talk about how bad Memphis is. Well, truthfully, there is no difference in any town, village or city! Some may be worse than others but they’re all bad or sinful!

Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

According to these scriptures it doesn’t sound like there is much hope for anyone, does it? No one is blameless.

Job 1:1 “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”